Flock cutting machine



Feb.

Filed July l8, 1940 Patented Feb. 9, 1943 STATES PA-TENT OFFICE FLOCK CUTTING MACHINE Andrew Hauge, .Claremont N. .H., assignor to Claremont Waste'Manufacturing Company, a corporation of New Hampshire Application July 18, 1940,'Serial No. 346,187

11 Claims.

My invention relates to flock cutting'machines.

It :has among its objects to provide an improved cuttings removing structure for machines of the type'described and claimed in my Patent No."2',l45,1'77. A further object of my invention is to provide such an improved structure adapted to .utilize an improved cuttings screen unit of an improved construction described and claimed in my copending application Serial'No. 377,952, filedrF'ebruary 8, 1941, and adapted to be disposed .in an improved manner to form a part of the enclosing-casing of such a machine. A still further-robjectrof myinvention 'is' to provide improved means fort. supporting such an improved unit inoperative-position as a part of the casing while enabling the unitto be readily removed Whendesired. These xand other objects and advantages of my improvediconstru'ction will, however; hereinaftermore fully appear.

In'the accompanying drawing, Ihave shown for purposes of illustration one embodiment whichmyt inventioni'may assume in practice.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is an end elevation of a flock cutter equipped with my improvements, the end member being broken away and certain parts also being shown in section to'facili-tate illustration;

Fig.'2 is a side elevation of the end of the machine shownin'Figure 1;

Fig. '3 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the cuttings removing mechanism, parts being shown in section to facilitate illustration;

Fig. '4 is a perspective view of the frame of the screencarrying unit, and

Fig. is a detail sectional view on line 5-5 of Figure 1.

In this illustrative construction, I have shown a flock cutter includingarotating-cutter cylinder I'suitably joumaled at its Opposite ends in end members 2 and rotatable in an enclosing casing having peripherally located, spaced, stationary knives '3 cooperating withthe cylinder I'and carried on longitudinally. spaced hinges pivoted at 4 on knife rails 5 connecting the end members 2' and having longitudinally disposed cooling water passages 6 therein and cooling water pipes 1; my improved construction herein utilizing an improved screen unit, generally-indicatedv at -8, removably supported :on the machine casing in an improved manner; and disposed between adjacent rails 5. and including screens and passage forming means" communicating withcuttings outlets!) in one -.of the end members 2, all as hereinafter more specifically described.

Referring more particularly to the screen unit generally indicated at 8, it will be noted that the same includes a unitary frame III. The latter includes a pair of longitudinally extending, parallel, spaced rods II connected at their ends and at spaced points along their length by transverse rods I2. Herein, the rods II are hollow, and the rods I2 are solid rods'and suitably attached to the bottom halves of the rods' I I as by welding. Further, it will be noted that herein each of the rods I I is provided with longitudinal slit I3 in its outer face, and that usual screen material I4 extends under theframe I0 and has folded oppositelongitudinal edges I5 inserted through these slits I3 and rods I6 having tapered ends I5a inserted longitudinally of the rods I0 and inside the folded edges of the screencloth; in such manner as to tend to tighten the screen material I I on the frame I0. Herein, also, a series of upper transverse rods I1 is suitably connected as by Welding at I8, at spaced points along the rods I I, and these rods I! are alsoconnected to the lower transverse rods I2 by'tmiddle depending Welded portions I9. Attentionis also directed totheffact that the opposite ends I'Ia and I ll) of the upper rods I'I project laterally beyond the longitudinal rods II, while it will also be notedthat these'rods I i are disposed in longitudinally spaced relation fromeach other along the frame I0, with the end rods I? also longitudinally spaced from the ends of this frame.

Cooperating with this screen unit 8 is' also improved means for mounting the same between adjacent rails '5 in such-manner that any stationary knife 3 may be readily swung up about its hinge pivot l whenever desired. Herein, the laterally protruding ends I'Ia of the rods I I are received in vertically disposed milled apertures 2!] ma lateral extension 2I--on one of the rails 5, while the longitudinal "rod 'II on that side of the frame has the screen cloth I4 passing under this rod II and pressed thereby into'engagement with afelt strip 22 along the bottom side face of this extension ZI. I-Ierein, also, two ends I In are held in their milled apertures by reciprocable longitudinally disposed overlying pins 23 also mounted on the side face of the extension 2I. The other laterally extendingends I'Ib extend into apertures 24 in a longitudinally disposed angle member 25 closely adjacent the next knife 3, while a felt strip 'ZBIQIISO supports the screen fabric underlying the adjacent-memher ll. As shown, this angle member 25 is also provided with transversely disposed end portions 25a fixed thereto and disposable against the inside faces of the end members 2, and these end portions 2511 are each also apertured to receive parallel pins 21 carried on an outside plate 28 and normally projected through the adjacent end member 2 and portion 25a by a coiled spring 29 acting between the plate 28 and an abutment 30 on a stud 3| threaded into the end member 2. Here, also, it will be noted that a cover 32 overlies eachframe i and is pivotally mounted on a longitudinal rod 33 carried on the end members 2, each cover also being provided with a depending edge 34 engaging the upper edge of the felt strip 28. Thus, with a felt strip 35 overlying the pivot portion 36 on the cover 32 and herein carried on the top surface 31 of the lateral extension 2|, and another felt strip 33 on the bottom portion of the angle member 25 and engaging the adjacent knife 3, a tight closure is provided which prevents the escape of cuttings along the edges of the cover and between the adjacent rails 5.

In the use of my improved construction, it will be apparent that with the frame If! in operative position, effective screening means will be provided, the screen material 14 being maintained tight across the under face of the frame Ill while the latter is securely positioned along its opposite edges on the rail and angle 25. Thus, when a suitable suction is connected to an outlet 9 in one of the end members 2 of the frame, the cuttings will be drawn through the screens M and along the length of the longitudinal passage provided beneath the covers 32 and above the screens M for delivery through the outlet 8. Moreover, when it is desired to obtain access to knives 3, it will be observed that such access is readily obtainable by removing both the frames [0 and the angles 25, the hinged knives 3 then being thereupon readily swung upward about their pivots 4 upon suitable release of connections (not shown) normally connecting the knives 3 to their hinged members and clamping knives in operative position against the rails 5. In practice, the holding members 23 are retracted, and the frame In then lifted out with its ends Ila moving freely upward in the milled slots and its opposite end llb pivoting as necessary in the apertures 24 which are of sufl'icient size to permit this movement. Then, after removal of the unit Ill, the pins 2'! are retracted, thereby releasing the angle irons for bodily removal. Similarly after, for example, the substitution of sharp knives 3, the hinged knives can be returned to their operative positions and the angles 25 and the frames l0 may be readily reinserted to permit the resumption of normal operation of the machine.

No claim is made herein to the screen unit per se, the same being claimed in my copending application mentioned, which is a continuation in part of this application.

While I have in this application specifically described one embodiment which my invention may assume in practice, it will be understood that the same is shown for purposes of illustration, and that the invention may be modified and embodied in various other forms without departing from its spirit or the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a flock cutter, a rotary cutter casing inthe latter remains in operative position between said rails.

2. In a flock cutter, a rotary cutter casing including longitudinal rails spaced from one another and a knife pivotally supported on one of said rails and movable about its pivot away from said rail into an inoperative position, a longitudinal screen unit support comprising a longitudinal member removably mounted in said casing between said knife and the other rail and adjacent said knife and engageable by one longitudinal edge of a screen supporting unit, a screen supporting unit separably supported at its opposite longitudinal edges on said other rail and on said support, and means for enabling removal of said screen supporting unit independently of said screen unit support while the latter remains in operative position between said knife and rail.

3. In a flock cutter, a rotary cutter casing including longitudinal rails spaced from one another and a knife carried by one of said rails, a longitudinal screen unit support removably mounted in said casing between said knife 'and the other rail, a screen supporting unit sep-' arably supported at its opposite longitudinal edges on said other rail and on said support, means for enabling removal of said screen supporting unit independently of said screen unit support while the latter remains in operative po-* sition between said knife and rail, and connecting mechanisms at opposite ends of said casing for said support releasable to permit removal thereof to provide access to said knife.

4. In a flock cutter, a rotary cutter casing including longitudinal rails spaced from one another and a knife carried by one of said rails, a longitudinal screen unit support removably mounted in said casing between said knife and the other rail and having transverse end portions, a screen supporting unit separably supported at its opposite longitudinal edges on said other rail and on said support and removable independently of the latter, and latch mechanisms carried by the walls of said casing and releasably connecting said transverseportions to said cas- 5. In a flock cutter, a rotary cutter casing including rails spaced from one another, a screen unit support between said rails and adjacent one of the same, and a screen supporting unit separably supported at its opposite longitudinal edges on the other rail and on said support and removable independently of the latter, said other rail and said support having angularly related faces and said unit having screen cloth carrying portions engaging said faces andlateral projections seated in said faces.

6. In a flock cutter, a rotary cutter casing including rails spaced from one another, a screen unit support between said rails and adjacent one of the same, and a screen supporting unit separably supported at its opposite longitudinal edges on the other rail andsaid support and removable independently of the latter, said first mentioned rail having a knife hinged thereon and disposed between the same and said support and said support being removable to permit swinging of said knife out of operative position in said casing.

7. In a flock cutter, a rotary cutter casing including longitudinal rails spaced from one another, a longitudinal screen unit support between said rails and adjacent one of the same, and a screen supporting unit separably supported at its opposite longitudinal edges on the other rail and said support and removable independently of the latter while the latter remains in operative position in the casing, said support and last mentioned rail having longitudinally spaced apertures therein and said unit including a plurality of laterally extending projections separably receivable in said apertures.

8. In a flock cutter, a rotary cutter casing including rails spaced from one another, a screen unit support between said rails and adjacent one of the same, and a screen supporting unit having laterally extending projections separably supported at its opposite longitudinal edges on the other rail and said support and removable independently of the latter, latch mechanism on said last mentioned rail cooperating with the ends of certain of said projections to position said unit, and cooperating latch mechanism on said casing cooperating with the ends of said support to position the latter.

9. In combination, a cutter enclosing casing having longitudinal rails and normally fixed cutter knives on the latter, and having a longitudinal support between one of said knives and the next adjacent rail, said support being adjacent but spaced from said knife, sealing means between said support and said knife, a removable screen unit between said support and the rail on the opposite side of said support from said knife and removable while said support remains in operative position in said casing, sealing means between the longitudinal edges of said screen unit and of said support and said last mentioned rail, and cooperating means on said support, said last mentioned rail and said unit for maintaining the latter in sealed relation to said support and said last mentioned rail and enabling removal of said unit while said support remains in operative position in said casing.

10. In combination, a casing having spaced longitudinal supports, means in said casing for delivering material to be screened toward the space between said supports, a screen unit disposed over said space comprising a frame having longitudinally extending side rods having longitudinal slits therein and screen material stretched over said frame and having longitudinal marginal portions secured in said slits, to form said unit, means on said supports for supporting said side rods including like relatively angularly disposed inclined supporting portions disposed in supporting relation to said side rods, and means for maintaining said side rods in operative position on said inclined supporting portions.

11. In combination, a casing having spaced longitudinal supports, means in said casing for delivering material to be screened toward the space between said supports, a screen unit disposed over said space comprising a frame having longitudinally extending side rods having longitudinal slits therein and screen material stretched over said frame and having longitudinal marginal portions under said rods and secured in said slits to form said unit, screen frame supporting means on said supports including like relatively angularly disposed inclined supporting portions and having sealing members extending longitudinally along said inclined portions and engaging and supporting said marginal portions, and means for maintaining said side rods in operative position on said sealing members ANDREW HAUGE. 

